MUSC kicks off Bicentennial Lecture Series with talk from inventor-turned-medical student

A native of the Chicago area, Kim came to MUSC in 2019 with a master’s degree in engineering design innovation from Northwestern University. By the time he arrived in Charleston, he had already started two companies and invented several medical devices, including one to help recovering stroke victims and another to speed up cancer chemotherapy times.

When Kim came to MUSC, it was not to attend medical school but to start a new program to teach students, residents and even surgical faculty how to improve medicine through human-centered design and design thinking. He decided to enroll in medical school in 2022, seeing it as a way to integrate more fully his dual passions for design and human health.

Kim is wholly immersed in MUSC’s tripartite mission, attending classes, conducting research and shadowing clinicians at the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital. He views all three pursuits through the lens of human-focused design, always considering how creative thinking and focusing on patient needs could bring innovative new solutions to unmet needs in health care.

During his presentation, Kim will discuss the Human-Centered Design Program he founded at MUSC – its progress to date, big wins and flagship startups – as well as some future projects on its horizon. He also will share part of his personal journey from pre-med to engineering and back to medicine, toward a career in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery.

Anyone with an internet connection may view the lectures. Register here to attend.

For information about other Bicentennial events, activities and schedules, visit the Bicentennial website.